\J 



LC 

Z33 



K^5 




fbss 16 2-33 
Rnnk , K 2 A 5 



inn 






«/V-/ 



it 






c 



IN KANSAS CI 



n7p 





m 





















4R1 



zlii 



913 






The Social Center 



IN 



Kansas City, Mo. 



PUBLISHED BY 



RESEARCH BUREAU OF THE 
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE 

JUNE, 1913 



BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE 

C. D. MILLS, President 
JACOB BILLIKOPF ALEXANDER MASSEY 

L. S. MOHR ., J. A. GALLAGHER 



FRANK P. WALSH 

Attorneys 
JOHN T. HARDING 



L. A. H ALBERT, : : General Superintendent 
J. O. STUTSMAN, Superintendent of Research Bureau 



^5 



HCV 3 1913 



THE SOCIAL CENTER 

AND 

ITS INFLUENCE ON THE COMMUNITY LIFE IN 
KANSAS CITY 



Popular demand for social centers in Kansas City is increasing 
by geometric progression. Beginning with a single school two 
years ago and increasing to eight schools in 1911-12, it has de- 
veloped until forty-five schools and two churches were open to the 
public last winter, having 494 meetings, with a total attendance of 
55,880 people. We now regard this movement as a fixture in the 
social life of Kansas City. The coming season promises to awaken 
universal attention to its demands, and the work in the fields already 
started will become more intensive. The experience of New York 
City, Rochester, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Cleve- 
land, Milwaukee and several other cities has demonstrated beyond 
question that there is a nation-wide demand for this new educa- 
tional, recreational force. 

A Socializ- The tendency of the rapid growth of the American 
ing Agency, city is to make the people unsocial and self-centered. 
The neighborhood spirit must be developed to secure 
harmony and co-operation among the people. The Social Center 
brings them together in their own school house, gets them ac- 
quainted with one another, interests them in the same enterprises, 
cultivates friendliness and acquaintance, unifies the neighborhood 
for civic improvement and community welfare, educates and culti- 
vates aesthetic taste, promotes the continuation of study, and 
provides wholesome amusement and recreation for the whole com- 
munity. Much has been said about the potency of the social center 
as a force for the Americanization of immigrants — a point well 
taken. We add to this that it furnishes a means for the American- 
ization of Americans, which is also much needed. 

Variety of Prof. Edward J. Ward, Advisor in Civic and Social 
Activities. Center Development, University of Wisconsin, in his 
book, "The Social Center," presents convincing argu- 
ments for the development of various activities in the social center: 

1. The school is the logical center of the precinct, just as the 
city hall is the center of the city, and the capitol is the logical center 
of the state and nation. The school should therefore be the polling 
place of the precinct. 

2. The social center furnishes a place of deliberation and pro- 
vides an opportunity for the people to discuss in a friendly manner 
the problems vital to their community. 



— 4 



It is also a place for: 

rThe voters' league, uniting the people for civic improve- 

4. A public lecture course, providing the best talent available, 
for the education and entertainment of the people. 

5. The branch public library, extending the benefits of the 
public library into every neighborhood in the city. 

6. Public art exhibitions, cultivating the aesthetic taste of the 
people. 

7. Music centers, providing concerts by high grade talent and 
furnishing an opportunity for local musicians to entertain. 

8. The Festival center — a logical place in which to celebrate 
the national holidays for the inspiration of patriotism and com- 
munity interest. 

9. A recreation center, providing innocent dances, gymnastics 
and games, and the organization of clubs. 

10. An employment center, providing a place to bring em- 
ployer and employee in touch with one another. 

11. The establishment of a branch of the health board in the 
line of a medical advisor for the community to look after matters 
pertaining to the general health. 

12. A place for all the people of the community to become 
acquainted. 

Beginnings in A precursor of the social center began in 1888 in 
New York. New York City, in the form of free lecture courses, 
and has extended to about 170 schools and halls. 
Dr. Henry M. Leipziger, supervisor of the public lectures, occupies 
in this relation a position co-ordinate with the office of superintend- 
ents of schools. The main idea of the lecture course is instruction, 
and the lectures cover all the great divisions of human knowledge 
upon such subjects as sanitation, health, civics, natural science, de- 
scriptive geography, art, music, literature, etc. They have proven 
exceedingly popular, and by means of examinations and collateral 
reading, have developed the habit of study and a larger use of the 
excellent collection of books in the various public libraries of the 
city. The results observed from these public lectures during the 
past twenty years are summarized by Professor Ward as follows : 

1. Continuation of systematic study. 

2. Americanization of immigrants. 

3. Improvement of sanitation and health. 

4. Increased interest in city's government. 

5. The formation of people's forums for the discussion of 
social and economic questions. 

6. Greater efficiency and earning power. 

7. Appreciation of art and science museums. 

8. Improved reading taste of the people. 

9. Wider and larger interest in the finer things of life. 



— 5 - 

The Rochester The movement took real form in Rochester, New 
Movement. York, on February 15, 1907, when delegates from 

eleven influential organizations met and formu- 
lated the request that the mayor and common council put an item of 
$5,000 in the tax levy for social center development. The begin- 
ning was made in No. 14 school building, which was selected be- 
cause it was very near the middle of the city. The first meeting 
was held Friday evening, November 1, 1908, and addressed by 
President Forbes, who set forth very definitely the basic, fraternal, 
co-operative idea of the social center as an institution by which the 
community might serve itself. After some music by the neighbor- 
hood orchestra, organized for the social center, there was a free 
hour for social intercourse and acquaintance. At first there were 
but twelve active members. Throughout the season there were 
seventy-two meetings in which citizens gathered to discuss political 
and economic topics. Three schools were used as neighborhood 
club houses during the first season. These meetings were very suc- 
cessful. The appropriation for the second year was $10,000, which 
made possible, in addition to the installation of new equipment arid 
the opening of more recreation fields out of doors, the opening qf 
three centers. These were open not only each evening, but also— 
at the request of the Minister's Association — on Sunday afternoon. 
This was done to provide a wholesome place of entertainment and 
recreation for young men and women who were wont to give their 
Sunday afternoons to questionable commercial recreation. The 
movement has developed despite some opposition, until at present 
there are 16 clubs, with 1,500 active members. Justice Charles E. 
Hughes said of this civic club development in Rochester: "I am 
more interested in what you are doing and what it stands for than 
anything else in the world. You are buttressing the foundations of 
democracy." 

Prof. Geo. M. Forbes, president of the Board of Education of 
Rochester, who has had abundant opportunity to study the influence 
of the movement, makes the following significant statement : "You 
who have not witnessed it cannot understand how party spirit, class 
spirit, and even race spirit fade out in the intense civic and com- 
munity atmosphere of these Neighborhood Civic Clubs. It is pure 
democracy getting an opportunity to inform itself, working itself 
free from prejudice and narrowness by absolutely free and unre- 
stricted discussion of any question, and eager to apply its new found 
spirit of brotherhood to the development and extension of com- 
munity enterprises. Political liberty alone, even when it finds ex- 
pression in universal suffrage, cannot solve the problem of dem- 
ocracy. The only salvation of democracy is in the development of 
the community spirit. This spirit is latent in every man. It only 
needs its appropriate stimulus to arouse it, the appropriate soil and 
atmosphere in which it may grow. Our democracy has yet to de- 



- 7 — 

velop institutions which are generally communal in the sense that 
they appeal to and develop the objective, the communal interests — 
that is, reveal the joy and satisfaction which come from co-opera- 
tive effort for the common good ; in short, institutions which break 
down the spirit and the result of exclusiveness and bring forth the 
recognition of man as man. Now the Neighborhood Civic Club 
seems to be exactly the appropriate stimulus and soil to develop this 
civic spirit." 

National In the autumn of 1911 the first national conference 

Conference. on social center development met at Madison, under 
the auspices of the University Extension Division of 
the Wisconsin University. Delegates came from all parts of the 
United States, representing city clubs, boards of education, welfare 
movements, churches, universities and various associations for civic 
and social betterment. A new enthusiasm and hope for the future 
permeated the air, and the key-note of the convention was that the 
social center movement in the United States is the beginning of a 
new democracy in extending the spirit of interest in public affairs 
to the homes of the people. The meeting resulted in the organiza- 
tion of the "Social Center Association of America," whose purpose 
it is "to promote the development of intelligent public spirit 
through community use of the common school house for free dis- 
cussion of public questions and all wholesome civic, educational and 
recreational activities. President Wilson, who was present at the 
meeting as Governor of New Jersey, said : "What I see in this 
movement is a recovery of the constructive and creative genius of 
the American people." 

SOCIAL CENTERS IN KANSAS CITY. 

The Social Center movement began in Kansas City when the 
Board of Education granted to the Board of Public Welfare the 
use of the Franklin School for several lectures and entertain- 
ments in the winter of 1910-11. 

During the season of 1911-12 the eight public schools opened 
by request of the Board of Public Welfare were the Switzer, 
Greenwood, Benton, Garrison, Emerson, Karnes, Morse and 
Adams. The Holy Rosary (Parochial) was also opened for meet- 
ings. The lecture rooms and auditoriums of several churches of 
different denominations were used for the discussion of civic 
questions. Forty-nine meetings of all kinds were held with a 
total attendance of 13,150. Thirty-two addresses on health, edu- 
cational and popular topics were delivered. Seventeen club and 
group meetings were held. Six high grade concerts were given. 

One hundred and thirty-five general meetings promoted by 
this department in the sixteen social centers of Kansas City during 
the past season had a total attendance of 22,467. The meetings 



held in the early fall were generally not very well attended on 
account of counter attractions incident to the political campaign. 
As the winter advanced, interest greatly increased, and the last 
meetings were by far the most interesting and best attended since 
the inception of the social center in this city. 

The most popular meetings were the musicales, stereopticon lec- 
tures, moving picture exhibitions and entertainments by local talent. 
The following are some of the subjects : 

Civic Discussions — 

Municipal Ownership. 
Constitutional School Amendments. 
School Bond Issue. 
The City's Machinery of Government. 
Community Co-operation. 
Vocational Training. 
The Social Center as a Unifying Force. 

Sociological and Health Topics — 

The Relation of Housing to Morals, Health and Happiness. 

Street Trades and Morals. 

Vacant Lot Gardening. 

The Relation of the Medical Profession to Social Work. 

Vacation Schools and Summer Camps. 

Causes of Juvenile Delinquency. 

Recreation and Health. 

Censorship of Motion Pictures. 

Adenoids and Incorrigibility. 

Postal Savings Bank. 

Motion Pictures — 

Scenes from the Baltic Army. 

Paris and its Monuments. 

The Rubber Industry. 

The Niagara Falls — Summer and Winter. 

The Yellowstone National Park. 

Washington Crossing the Delaware. 

War on the Mosquito. 

The Fly Pest. 

The Lizard Family. 

Entertainment — 

Folk Dancing. 

Calisthenic Drills. 

Professional Concerts. 

Musicals by Home Talent. 

Impersonations. 

School Entertainments. 

Stereopticon Description of Travels. 



— 9 



The meetings above described are further classified in the fol- 
lowing- table : 



a 
13 

y 

3 

s 
a* 



T3 

u 
(0 
O 



y m 

*s '- , 

°" «■. 

CO N 

«?2 

V g 

1 * 

4-1 

0) 
0) 



0) 

c 
O 



o 

2 

3 

CTJ 

H 





OCOOOOOOOOOOCDOOOLO 


t- 




owcooooiooioiOHOinoN 


CO 


■if 


oo <o 03 co lo as lo co lo t> co oo cm lo a> 

i-HOfcM Mi-hCnT i-H r-T i-4 


cm' 


^s 




CM 


_ 


^"tf-tf^oooooocooi-icooococo^-^t 1 


LO 




HH H }] ,_! 


co 


&- 




7-1 








— w 




; t-n ; ; i— i cm : : : : 




■* 


"1 s 










S 








■A 






i | ;CM 


:'cm 






Tjl 


•c 


















a. 


















"S 4* 




i^it-HNixi : cts t— i i ; 


!© 


o 










■* 


a, s 










H^ 














"S £ 


1— 1 l— 1 r- 1 tH 


: CM CM 't-hiM ihOIh 


LO 


2 a 








1— I 






















= -J 










"" 






= £ 


NHHHM NV- 1 


- i— 1 i— 1 CM 




LO 


'"§ 3 








r-H 


s £ 










-B 


rH CO CM 


: CM i— 1 rH : lO :Nhh 


C5 






















s 










— .5 trt 




!rH 




(M . i ii-H i 


-* 






























wa-g S 














w 




















'5 > *d 


1— 1 


i—i CO : i— I CM 


: i— i : : i— i : r- i 


i— 1 


SOB 

jj 1 








I-H 


















U B 




HCONH i CO i-h 00 i--HHH 


CO 


'P.2-S 






CM 


UQ » 








° 
























: co 






















'.& 






o 

«* 

o 
-J 


CO 

B 

ca 

r-5 


c c 

,3.3 

-c c 

to <Jj 

cm'co' 


> 

O 


c 
o 

CO 

I 

io 


' O 

o £ 

Sh CD 
Si CD 


fc ! 

ca ! 

CO ! 

o : 

o > 

HH 1 — 1 

oo as 


: be i a : 
v- : OJ : 

co G : <U ^ 

ca.S o^j > 
o t-4 oi co •>* 


els 

of 

-i-> Ph 

bjo— 
.S cp 

co C 

ca a) 

LO CO 


H 
< 
H 
O 
H 





— 10 — 



c r Several talented musicians and impersonators gave 

P° me T °: their services gratuitously to the great pleasure of 

lalent. ^ p e0 pj e Professor Rudolph King and his as- 
sistants have given a number of splendid concerts during the win- 
ter. Special mention is also due the Philanthropic and Educational 
Committee of the Kansas City Musical Club, Mrs. Ella C. Hood, 
Elocutionist ; Dr. Delamater, Assistant Health Commissioner, and 
the principals and chairmen of the various schools where these 
meetings were held. A helpful course of illustrated lectures was 
given in several schools by Milton Fairchild of the educational 
Institution for Moral Instruction. The subjects of these lectures 
were, "Conduct Becoming a Gentleman," "Thrift in School," "The 
True Sportsman," and "When I Am Grown Up." Mr. Ralph 
Emmett Avery presented a splendid stereopticon lecture on "The 
Panama Canal" in seven of the schools. 



One school — the Karnes — not having a suitable room for 
general meetings, used the auditorium of the Holy Rosary Cath- 
olic Church for all its general meetings, through the kindness of 
Father Delbecchi. A notable event of the season was a concert 
given in that hall Tuesday evening. May 21, 1913, by the Italian 
Choral Club, which was organized and trained in the Karnes 
School Social Center. The concert was well attended and the 
music was of high grade. The hall of St. Stephen's Catholic 
Church was used in like manner through the courtesy of Father 
Scanlan. With these exceptions, the Social Center in Churches 
has not been continued this season because of the increased popular 
demand for meetings in the schools. 



Part Played It is the purpose of the Board of Public Welfare 

by this Board, to act as promoter and not custodian of this 
movement. The school house belongs to the 
people and the social center should be their institution. We are 
gratified to know that thirty-one schools not under our direction 
have held 172 meetings during the past winter, with an estimated 
attendance of 28,934, and that these meetings were for the purpose 
of discussing questions on civic and community improvement, pre- 
senting musicals, moving pictures, illustrated lectures, for school 
entertainments and patriotic discussions. While the parent-teachers' 
meetings and school entertainments predominated, the subjects dis- 
cussed were very similar to those of the meetings under our direc- 
tion. 



11 



The following table gives a fair estimate of the extent and na- 
ture of these meetings : 



CO CO to to to to to 

1— ' O CD 00 -J OS C7i 












p^ co to ^ o co oo -a os en rf^ co to h- o cd oo -a os en *>• co to i- 1 


i-3 

o 

21 


"Si 

i-S p 
: 3 
; ^ 


< 

D 
-s 

3 


a 
3 

-* 


Rollins 

Sanford B. Ladd 

Sixtv-first Street 


Kensington 

Lincoln Elementary. 

Lincoln High 

Lykins 

Manchester. 

Madison 

McCoy 

Mt. Washington 

Manual Training High 

Martin 

Norman 


-D 

3 

c 

1 


3 


I 

n 


Allen... 

Attucks 

Bancroft 

Bristol 

Chace 

Douglas 

E. C White 

Frances Willard 

Geo. B. Longan 

Henry C. Kumpf 

Horace Mann 


03 

n 
« 

o 
o 


00 




1— ' 


i 'j h| i i i | i h| i' | 


- 




I *"" °° : : i 






>— 1 
en 


h-i 






: i-> ; to : i i i 


00 


: : m: to i : 






1 


Wmmm: to M i 1 ►— co ; h- 1 


to to i i 


I— ' to j 1— ' 1— ' j to 


1- 


co 










i I— » i— ' i 1 : ; i i : 








: 1 i t— > i i 




3 


! ; i 
m ' i : 

1 ■ ! 








M M M M 








s? 


to 


1—1 1 






: i (-> : t^. i ; j ; i : ! j 


to; i i i (is-; j i i . i 




r- = 


-J 

oo 


tO-J I- 1 


l—i i OS 


*>■ : j to *>. : to *- rf*. 1- 1 to CD 00 en 4^ i M i i-» as CO 




"^ — 




h- 1 




: i i : i i i— i co i : i— ' 




: i : 1 i i— » i i i— * 




3. 


i— • 


to': 




h- 1 ! 


i h! i ; mi>3m: 


CO *>■ : j 


! : : h- 1 : : i-j 


3 


-a 

to 


h-i to I- 1 
-JCO«OeoC7ii-'-q-qi-'^tC'(l^.*».l-'~3f- ( ^.tOCOC7irf^C7iiUl-'Cnrfi.OSi^-Jif^co 


—i 


re 

00 
5D 

CO 


1 

t— ' 

os os 

o o 

o o 

1 


c 


to 

o 
o 


COO-3 

o o co 
ooo 


•J to 

CntOtOOSCOtOOOOSOi— 'CO 

ocnooosoooencno 
ooooooooooo 


en 

— 
— 


to 

-1 

o 
— 


to 

co to to 

en o o 
ooo 


en " to en os en 

too o to ooo 
o o cd en o o o 


i— > 

O 
O 


S» 



- 13 — 

Opinion of Letters from principals of various schools ex- 

School Principals, press the keenest interest in the movement. 
Several of these principals in schools where it 
was impossible to hold meetings during the past winter because of 
no lights, bad streets, or inadequate assembly rooms, have expressed 
friendliness for the meetings and the hope that provisions will be 
made for their schools in the near future. The following brief ex- 
tracts from their letters are significant: "I am heartily in sympathy 
with every move that tends toward social center work" ; "I believe 
neighborhood meetings to be of inestimable value in unifying a com- 
munity''; "I believe it a great uplifting movement and can be made 
to do a great deal of good in the way of unification and in creating 
an educational atmosphere among the patrons." One principal who 
did not have lights united efforts with the pastor of a church across 
the street. He said : "We have had fine success with this social 
center lecture course and the lantern slide pictures. 

Letters from principals of schools where social centers were 
held by principals and members of the community independent of 
the Board of Public Welfare have expressed themselves as follows : 
"I think our meetings have been helpful to our school, and expect 
greater results in the future'' ; "A social center is of great value in 
bringing home and school in closer touch" ; "I am convinced that 
such meetings are of wonderful help to both parents and teachers in 
bringing about mutual respect and in securing co-operation" ; "We 
place a very high value upon the social center work in unifying the 
community, in placing the right civic ideals before the people and in 
bringing school and patrons closer together, with its most beneficial 
result upon the child" ; "We have a flourishing and helpful patron's 
association in our school" ; "I think there is much good to come 
from such meetings." One high school principal says : "I am thor- 
oughly in sympathy with the social center movement and think that 
the high schools after they become localized can do a good work in 
the way of evening exercises" ; "We believe that such gatherings 
are conducive to community welfare from the standpoint of patri- 
otism, civic pride, and neighborhood improvement." 

Clubs. The accompanying Chart (No. 3) shows the beginnings of 
group meetings in several schools where clubs have been 
organized. It has been impossible to do this work very extensively 
because of the lack of funds to employ sufficient leaders, but where- 
ever the groups have been organized the attendance has been regular 
and the interest surprisingly good. There is no reason why clubs 
should not be developed in all the schools. A great many young 
men and women are compelled by the struggle of the family for sus- 
tenance to leave school before they have completed their high school 
course, or even before finishing the grades. Group meetings prop- 
erly conducted are an inspiration to the young people to continue 



— 14 



their education in the way of the study of scientific, literary, philo- 
sophical, social, religious or recreational subjects. 

Table No. 3. Group Meetings Under Auspices of Board of 

Public Welfare 

School Year 1912-13 



SCHOOL 



Garrison (Orchestra) 

Karnes (Italian Choral Club). 

Karnes (Orchestra) 

Lincoln High 

Morse 

Switzer (Gym. Club) 

Switzer (T. A. D.) 

Wendall Phillips 



Literary 



18 



, ,. Social and 

l.vmnas ic D 
' Fr gram 



7 

51 
18 
13 



Musical Fatal Attendance 



Total 



20 



89 



12 

! 21 

24 

1 

10 

|.. 
21 57 



12 

21 

24 

2 

18 

51 

36 

_23_ 

187 



226 

1,020 

260 

300 

226 

1,020 

252 

1,175 



4,479 



Motion A philanthropic citizen of Kansas City recently pre- 

Pictures. sented to the Board of Public Welfare a complete 
moving picture outfit for the use of social centers. 
This machine was used with splendid effect in all of the schools 
where electric lights were available during the past winter. The 
Board of Education provided electric lights as rapidly as possible in 
all the schools where this department requested. A very encourag- 
ing beginning was made in this kind of entertainment. Educational 
reels depicting historical, scenic, industrial and scientific subjects of 
a highly interesting character were presented in all of these schools. 
This form of entertainment has proven most popular wherever used, 
and will undoubtedlv be among the most useful that we can employ 
in the social center work. 

Co-operation. We have had the heartiest co-operation from the 
Board of Education ever since the inception of 
the movement. We cannot recall a single request we have made 
that has been refused. The Parent-Teachers' Association which 
is being organized in most of the schools of the city is in thorough 
accord with the department in making the social center movement 
successful. Committees have been appointed by the auxiliaries in 
the various schools, and we regard this as a stepping-stone in the 
direction of transferring the responsibility of the movement to the 
local committees around the various schools. The Neighborhood 
Improvement Associations, organized in the various school districts 
which are now forming a federation for the city, should find the 
school houses to be their natural meeting place. They correspond 
to the Neighborhood Civic Clubs so successful in Rochester and some 
other cities. 



16 



ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMING YEAR. 

There is no apparent reason why the meetings of next winter 
should not be far better than they have been in the past. 
_. . If the school house is a social center, it may, of course, 

R k include district offices for sanitary inspectors, or Board 

ranches. Q £ p u kjj c vy e jf are workers, or a branch library, or a 
pure milk station, and such activities as these would have to be gov- 
erned according to the convenience of the departments which might 
possibly have district offices, and also by the convenience of the 
school which might or might not be able to furnish the necessary 
space. The accessories can be added as demands arise. 

Group Until then we must confine our plans to social center 

Meetings. meetings. These may be broadly divided into group 
meetings and general meetings. The group meetings 
should consist of recreation clubs or literary clubs, reading circles, 
clubs whose membership should be determined on the basis of age 
or congeniality, and their activities should be guided by leaders, 
if composed of children or comparatively young people. 

General The general meetings might be classified according to 

Meetings. their character into about three classes : ( 1 ) One kind 
of meetings would be those where civic questions or 
community problems were discussed by some official or competent 
speaker, or debated by selected local citizens, after which free discus- 
sion should be taken up by the audience. These meetings could be 
conducted practically without expense and would be of great edu- 
cational value. (2) Then there could be such a set of recreational 
entertainments as usually comprise a popular lecture course. It 
would be a splendid plan to organize schools and talent 
Lecture during the coming season so as to be able to form circuits 
Circuits. of lectures, entertainments, musicals and moving picture 
demonstrations, so that every school in the whole city 
might have an opportunity to get the very best service possible. 
(3) Finally, there might be a few entertainments given by local 
talent, such as the annual school entertainment, and an occasional 
spelling match, debate, or a dramatic production by some club. 

The greatest handicap at present is the lack of sufficient funds 
to carry on this work extensively. The growth of the movement 
will depend upon the active interest of the citizens. 



